Ikoku
The Island-Nation of Ikoku corresponds to Asian folklore, primarily Japanese and Chinese. The naming conventions are largely Japanese, but colloquial exceptions exist. 'The Nation' The island of Ikoku, home to a proud people of strong traditions and ancient history, is ruled by their God-Emperor- Unlike the ruler of Taelarys, he is not considered to be descended from a 'mere' demigod, but rather as a true god reincarnated into mortal form. The mantle of Emperor is thus not inherited, but rather granted to the one deemed the next incarnation of the Emperor, as chosen by the Dragons of the Four Winds. These great dragon-gods actually choose by virtue and character, but support the mortal superstitions in order not to disturb the balance of all things. Upon being chosen, the future Emperor is given a new name. Years in Ikoku are measured by the Emperor's rule and name. Hence, the rule of the current emperor, Yen Chao, renamed upon his ascent Emperor Horikawa, is currently in the year Horikawa 6. Their borders have always been closed to outsiders and exchanges between the main country and Ikoku are rare and few. It is said that they follow strange and unknown gods, and that their warriors are exceptionally skilled and dutiful. 'Warrior Caste, Nobility and Others' : Bufu-Samurai : The warrior caste of Ikoku, who also double as the lower ranks of ' '''nobility of the country. Warriors who take pride in serving a patron, usually a higher-ranking noble, though some exceptions exist. : '''Ninja' : ' '''Silent warriors who specialize in the art of stealth. Their main work consists of delivering secret messages, spying and assassinations. And, of course, counter-intelligence. They employ exotic weaponry, are skilled with many poisons as well as drugs, and are said to be masters of disguise. Their existence is commonly known in Ikoku, but usually not spoken of. : '''The Ninkyoudantai/The Family and the Dragon Emperor' : A large criminal organisation called the Ninkyoudantai -- the Chivalrous Organization -- exists on Ikoku, working in the shadows of society. Gambling, smuggling, thievery and many other illegal enterprises are their bread and butter -- lead since about three centuries by a mysterious figurehead called the Dragon Emperor, they have become a staple element of Ikoku Society. The Dragon Emperor is said to be immortal and descended from the celestial dragon representing evil, second only in his dark divinity to the God-Emperor himself. Naturally, this is utter nonsense. Many people held the title of Dragon Emperor over the years and many more will, though always claiming to be the same person in an ancient lie. : Tengu Culture : 'Religion' : Celestial Bureaucracy : The gods and spirits of Ikoku are many-fold and highly structured, residing both in the mortal world and their many god-realms. In the Celestial Bureaucracy, it's not as simple as demons being evil or celestial beings acting as agents of good. The Celestial Emperor is nominally their head, as believed by the mortals, but in truth the Dragons themselves are its true upper echelon. Beneath them serve many spirits, demons, ghosts, immortals, magicians and other creatures. Sometimes even ordinary, but very lucky men. : Evil or good are relative in the bureaucracy and order, tradition and integrity are valued more than anything else. A demon may be considered divine and righteous, while an intrinsically good creature may be a wretched disgrace, though that is just an example of extremes. Largely, order is beneficial to mortals, after all. : Ikoku Dragons : The dragons of Ikoku are strange beasts, more akin to gods than any dragons in other parts of the world. Each of them represents one particular concept -- Valor. Time. Evil. Good. The most prominent dragons who take an active part in Ikoku culture are the Four Winds, who choose the next Emperor according to his virtues. The dragons are all said to be immortal and impossible to destroy, but some of them, such as the Dragon of Evil and the Dragon of Destruction have been sealed away by their peers, slumbering in places hidden and secret. The containers their essences were sealed away in are most certainly of immense might and whoever might possess these, or indeed gain control over and/or the service of any of these dragons, would gain incredible power.